Prisoner at Walpole Work Camp designs bike trailer to lighten the load of community work

A prisoner at Walpole Work Camp has designed a trailer that can be towed behind a bicycle to help carry heavy equipment to remote jobs.

Prisoners at the minimum security prison work camp have completed maintenance, restoration, landscaping and cleaning work in the Walpole community for more than 24 years.

Their works are often in remote areas and require the use of heavy equipment.

This prompted one of the prisoners to design a trailer capable of being towed behind a bike.

Acting Superintendent of Pardelup Prison Farm David Patterson said getting equipment out to more remote jobs can be problematic and time-consuming.

Pardelup Prison Farm hosts the Walpole Work Camp.

“The new trailers have helped the work teams to be more efficient, especially when maintaining the many walk trails and tracks around the Walpole area,” Acting Supt Patterson said.

“In a recent example, four prisoners needed a chainsaw and large crowbar to clear a huge tree that had fallen across the Horseyard Hill Trail on the outskirts of Walpole.”

The prisoners have named the trailers after their family members, and they are currently working on designs to create more equipment.

Mr Patterson said that as well as providing an important service to the community, the prisoners were learning new skills which would help them find work upon release.